The buzz over Congress Lok Sabha MP Kumari Selja joining the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has been prevailing ever since her absence from the party's campaign in Haryana was noticed. The recent remarks made by Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini have fueled this speculation,

With the assembly elections approaching, there are various reports of infighting in Congress with Kumari Selja camp accusing of step-motherly treatment. However, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram asserted that the Haryana Congress was not a divided house and would fight the October 5 state assembly elections unitedly.

Having benefited from Jat consolidation catalysed by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is now making a strong outreach to the OBCs who have been given 25 tickets in the 90-member Haryana Assembly polls to be held on October 5.

Rumours are rife about a rift in the Congress party, with the absence of Selja from Congress' campaigns for the Assembly polls. Selja was also missing during the event to launch the Congress manifesto by Mallikarjun Kharge.

Congress alleges the ‘vote-cutters’ are working to split the opposition votes to help the ruling party. In the Lok Sabha elections, tactically, this strategy failed to bear fruits for the BJP across the country.